Sometimes I try to understand the source of my creative frustrations. It is never for lack of inspiration or drive. Most of the time, I am happy to meander and make discoveries that make me happy and continue on. But sometimes I do question. Why do I create? Do I need an end result, a finished product? When this happens, I take inspiration from people who have found the perfect ways to articulate it. I hope you enjoy my top five creativity boosts. If you'd like to share other quotes or posts, please comment below! |
It's been a long path to publication, but this end is just the beginning! As I continue to write new stories and promote THE STAR FESTIVAL, my goals include finding my dream agent and illustrating my own books. As I learn about art and illustration, I will share my insights, processes, successes, and failures. On occasion, I will spotlight my influences. I hope you continue on this journey with me. |
The piece of writing below is a set of rules by Corita Kent, also known as Sister Corita. I was turned on to her work by a distant cousin, unknown to me until recently, who is the daughter of Henry and Mona Lovins of the now historic Hollywood Art Center School.
I became fascinated with Sister Corita because of the dichotomy that she represents, a nun and a creative. I'm not religious, and what little I do know about nuns doesn't usually include the word "artist." Corita is known for her 1985 USPS "Love" stamp. In addition, she created pop art, silk-screening advertisements juxtaposed with verse to bring awareness to social issues. Equally important, she worked with students at the Immaculate Heart College Art Center in the 50's and 60's, encouraging them to play, see the world from a different perspective, and create.
Corita's rules remind me that everything is an experiment. I hope you get some value from her list too. Be sure to read to the very end!
The piece of writing below is a set of rules by Corita Kent, also known as Sister Corita. I was turned on to her work by a distant cousin, unknown to me until recently, who is the daughter of Henry and Mona Lovins of the now historic Hollywood Art Center School.
I became fascinated with Sister Corita because of the dichotomy that she represents, a nun and a creative. I'm not religious, and what little I do know about nuns doesn't usually include the word "artist." Corita is known for her 1985 USPS "Love" stamp. In addition, she created pop art, silk-screening advertisements juxtaposed with verse to bring awareness to social issues. Equally important, she worked with students at the Immaculate Heart College Art Center in the 50's and 60's, encouraging them to play, see the world from a different perspective, and create.
Corita's rules remind me that everything is an experiment. I hope you get some value from her list too. Be sure to read to the very end!
In 2018, I traveled with my daughter and husband, whose musical journey took us to wine country and then to England. As I celebrated his successes that year, I think about the experiences along the way that made this trip memorable, the awe-inspiring walk around Stonehenge, the local pizzeria in Notting Hill (Yes, we did eat pizza in England!), and the resonating performance of my husband and his band in the halls of the Barbican.
While I was there, I received a bit of good news from the SCBWI (Society of Children's Books, Writers, and Illustrators). They honored my manuscript as runner-up for the Sue Alexander Grant, a prestigious award given by the organization. But there were other achievements and failures that year - all worthwhile.
These included:
A mentorship that I did not get, but I gained practice in writing cover letters.
A course with the Lyrical Language Lab, a rhyming class that helped me with rhythm in my prose writing.
Reaching out to people I didn't even know for extra critiques and made new friends in the writing community.
And writing a new chapter book turned graphic novel, which has gone nowhere except to hone my character-building skills.
I can't discern which of these stepping stones that year made the biggest impact on my overall goal of getting traditionally published, but I do know, collectively, they all mattered.
In the moments I felt low, I asked myself this question and tried to put my thoughts into this perspective.
If I were published, what would I be doing right now?
The answer. "The same thing I am doing right now--
writing!
TAKE AWAY:
Failure: def. Disguised success.
Set goals, big and small.
Enjoy the journey.
What goals have you set for yourself this week? Did you have any disguised successes? (Personal goals accepted! ❤)
Please share a comment, and celebrate!
Click here to read past posts.
While I was there, I received a bit of good news from the SCBWI (Society of Children's Books, Writers, and Illustrators). They honored my manuscript as runner-up for the Sue Alexander Grant, a prestigious award given by the organization. But there were other achievements and failures that year - all worthwhile.
These included:
A mentorship that I did not get, but I gained practice in writing cover letters.
A course with the Lyrical Language Lab, a rhyming class that helped me with rhythm in my prose writing.
Reaching out to people I didn't even know for extra critiques and made new friends in the writing community.
And writing a new chapter book turned graphic novel, which has gone nowhere except to hone my character-building skills.
I can't discern which of these stepping stones that year made the biggest impact on my overall goal of getting traditionally published, but I do know, collectively, they all mattered.
In the moments I felt low, I asked myself this question and tried to put my thoughts into this perspective.
If I were published, what would I be doing right now?
The answer. "The same thing I am doing right now--
writing!
TAKE AWAY:
Failure: def. Disguised success.
Set goals, big and small.
Enjoy the journey.
What goals have you set for yourself this week? Did you have any disguised successes? (Personal goals accepted! ❤)
Please share a comment, and celebrate!
Click here to read past posts.
This might be the shortest post ever, but 2017 was packed full of life experiences, marrying my now husband and moving my mom more than a thousand miles across states, into my home, right after my honeymoon! Yes, I do have a husband with a big heart! There was some writing sprinkled in there too, but I had my priorities in order!
Fun fact: My mom later inspired my book, The Star Festival!
Fun fact: My mom later inspired my book, The Star Festival!
"I cannot say whether things will get better if we change; what I can say is they must change if they are to get better." -Georg C. Lichtenberg
Photo Credit: "Love" by Steve Charman is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Photo Credit: "Love" by Steve Charman is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Joining my first online critique group gave me the boost that I needed to start writing again. It felt great to be critiquing and to be critiqued! My only regret is that I wish I had created new stories at that time. Because I was in a new group, I chose to get fresh eyes on older manuscripts. Looking back, I see the importance of challenging myself to keep writing new material.
Speaking of critique groups, I will share a bit about listening to critique partners. If this sounds preachy, please know that I AM speaking to myself! But I'd like to share my experience and advice, TAKE OUT THE DOGS!
In a manuscript that I am currently working on, I wrote in a pack of wild dogs to create tension in the story. About 50% of the critiques said to take out the dogs. They were too scary for young kids. I resisted. Instead, I tried replacing the word "wild" with hungry, mangy, and dirty. I even added a puppy!
I felt the manuscript was in pretty good shape. But there was still that nagging, it-can-be-better feeling. I was not able to revise at that time. It needed space. So I put it away for a while. Later, after several more critiques, I experimented with adding a sibling, changing the POV, and adding metaphors. Through this process, the dogs miraculously disappeared! They really weren't necessary! My story went under a significant transformation.
Now, I feel it. My manuscript is submission-ready!
TAKE AWAY
Listen, even if it's advice you don't think you will need.
Try a new approach.
Take out the dogs! Or, as they say, kill your darlings!
Speaking of critique groups, I will share a bit about listening to critique partners. If this sounds preachy, please know that I AM speaking to myself! But I'd like to share my experience and advice, TAKE OUT THE DOGS!
In a manuscript that I am currently working on, I wrote in a pack of wild dogs to create tension in the story. About 50% of the critiques said to take out the dogs. They were too scary for young kids. I resisted. Instead, I tried replacing the word "wild" with hungry, mangy, and dirty. I even added a puppy!
I felt the manuscript was in pretty good shape. But there was still that nagging, it-can-be-better feeling. I was not able to revise at that time. It needed space. So I put it away for a while. Later, after several more critiques, I experimented with adding a sibling, changing the POV, and adding metaphors. Through this process, the dogs miraculously disappeared! They really weren't necessary! My story went under a significant transformation.
Now, I feel it. My manuscript is submission-ready!
TAKE AWAY
Listen, even if it's advice you don't think you will need.
Try a new approach.
Take out the dogs! Or, as they say, kill your darlings!
Every writer needs that someone. That someone that inspires you and encourages you to keep writing when you feel you can't, or when you've lost steam.
In 2014, I was well into a new relationship with my now-husband. The absence from writing, a couple of years prior, had created space for romance. ❤ Although my stories never left my mind, dating took time, and there were only so many hours in a day!
Words were not flowing. Well, maybe spinning circles in my head, but definitely not finding their way out. Lucky for me, my friend, Marlene, my writerly someone, began sending me her picture book manuscripts to critique again. This invitation reignited my interest.
In 2015, she formed an online critique group and asked me to join. Although commonplace now, they weren't back then. I was thrilled! It was my first online group. Ideas were put into words. Words became sentences that did find their way to my fingertips, and new stories were written. I was BACK!
TAKE AWAY
Take a break if you need it.
Say YES to opportunities.
Treasure your friends.
In honor of my long-time critique partner, please check out Marlene Susan's picture book!
"This is a beautiful, sweet, smart book about breastfeeding and weaning. There is no reason in the world not to buy this book for yourself and your breastfeeding friends. I loved it."
Dr. Jay Gordon
Dr. Jay Gordon
Path To Publication
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